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Italy School Scare: Hundreds Of Kids Evacuated

Published

2 days ago

November 11, 2026

Adam Woodward

italy-school-scare:-hundreds-of-kids-evacuated

Italian police on high alert. Credit: AnMenshikova – Shutterstock

Bomb threats targeting schools add to growing concerns about security and disruption across Europe.

Hundreds of schools across Italy were evacuated on Wednesday, November 11, after receiving emails claiming explosive devices had been planted inside their buildings, adding to growing concerns about security threats affecting countries across Europe.

Around 6,300 Italian schools reportedly received the threatening messages, with at least 300 evacuations carried out as police investigated the claims and emergency procedures were activated.

The emails also contained a threat against Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, claiming a bomb had been placed in her car. They were signed by someone identifying himself as Mikhail Andropov, leader of the self-proclaimed Vilayat of Misoginistan. Similar messages have been received by schools in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, while the same purported sender’s name has appeared in recent threats against broadcasters in Ireland and Bulgaria.

Italian authorities have so far found no evidence of an actual bomb threat being carried out. Investigations are continuing, with officials examining whether the messages form part of a wider campaign intended to cause fear and disruption.

The incidents follow a series of bomb threats affecting European aviation, with aircraft diverted or subjected to security checks. Recent bomb scares targeting flights from Spain and Britain have also prompted major security operations, as well as other reported attacks and threats involving public services and businesses.

Europe tells households to prepare for emergencies

The latest incidents come as the European Commission steps up its campaign encouraging citizens to prepare for major emergencies. On November 3, the Commission published new European emergency preparedness guidelines, urging households across the EU to be capable of looking after themselves for at least 72 hours during a serious disruption.

The recommendations include keeping supplies of drinking water, non-perishable food, essential medicines and first-aid equipment, as well as a torch, batteries, a radio, a mobile phone power bank and some cash. The plan is to give emergency services and public authorities time to organise assistance if essential services become unavailable.

The advice forms part of the EU’s Preparedness Union Strategy, introduced in March 2025, which addresses a wide range of potential emergencies, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, infrastructure failures and geopolitical crises.

EWN previously examined what the EU recommends putting in a 72-hour emergency survival kit, including the basic supplies families should keep at home.

Is Europe preparing for a wider security threat?

The Italian schools threat is just one such alert in a line of recent bomb threats throughout Europe. One of the growing concerns among European governments is the possibility of so-called hybrid warfare. This describes activities designed to disrupt or destabilise countries without conventional military action. They can include cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation and attempts to undermine public confidence in institutions.

Recent incidents have raised questions about whether some of the threats affecting European schools, airlines and broadcasters could be connected. Russia has been accused by European governments of involvement in various hybrid operations, particularly targeting countries supporting Ukraine. However, no responsibility has been established for the latest school bomb threats, and investigators have not confirmed who is behind them.

What should British residents in Spain do?

The European Commission’s 72-hour recommendations also apply to households in Spain, including the millions of foreign residents living across the country.

While the advice is not a warning that a major emergency is imminent, it reflects a growing recognition that households should be prepared for temporary interruptions to everyday services. Spain experienced a reminder of how quickly normal life can be disrupted during the nationwide blackout in April 2025.

For residents in Spain, having drinking water, basic food supplies, essential medication and a way of receiving emergency information could prove useful during anything from severe flooding or wildfires to a major power outage. The Commission is also encouraging preparedness education in schools and better communication of risks to the public.

Its message is that emergency planning should not be left entirely to governments and rescue services. Ordinary households also have a role in making sure they can cope during the first hours and days of a crisis.

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Italy school scare: Hundreds evacuated as tensions rise throughout Europe

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Playa Flamenca Red Cross Charity Day

Published

13 hours ago

November 12, 2026

Anna Ellis

Cruz Roja fitness and fundraising in Orihuela. Credit: Loner Nguyen / Shutterstock.com.

Fitness, family fun and fundraising are coming together in Playa Flamenca on Saturday, November 14, when the Red Cross holds its second charity activity day in Orihuela Costa. The event promises a lively morning of exercise sessions, free children’s workshops and a charity raffle, with money raised helping vulnerable children through local Red Cross projects.

The event takes place on the Playa Flamenca promenade at Calle Los Nardos 4, with a morning of exercise sessions, children’s workshops and a charity raffle.

The second charity activity day aims to bring residents and families together for an enjoyable morning while raising awareness of the Red Cross and its work in the local community.

With activities suitable for different ages and fitness levels, the event offers an opportunity to get moving, meet other residents and support a worthwhile cause.

Fitboxing, Pilates and Zumba sessions planned

Activities begin at 9:30 AM with fitboxing, combining boxing movements with a fitness workout, followed by Pilates at 10:00 AM. Anyone joining the Pilates session should bring their own mat.

A rope-based exercise session follows at 10:30 AM, before a Zumba masterclass gets everyone moving at 11:00 AM.

The activities are open to all ages and abilities, making the event accessible to people who enjoy regular exercise as well as those who simply want to try something different.

The varied programme gives participants the chance to choose their favourite activity or enjoy several sessions throughout the morning.

Free children’s workshops and Red Cross information

For younger visitors, there will be free children’s workshops throughout the morning, offering creative activities while parents enjoy the fitness sessions.

The workshops will provide entertainment for children and help make the charity day a family-friendly occasion.

Red Cross volunteers will also be on hand at an information stand to explain more about the charity’s local work.

Visitors will have the opportunity to find out how the organisation supports people in need and learn more about the projects benefiting from community fundraising.

Charity raffle supports vulnerable children

At 12:00 PM, a charity raffle will feature prizes donated by local businesses and organisations.

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Malaga’s Charity Hamper Worth Over €6,000

Published

13 hours ago

November 12, 2026

Lucy Ramnought

malaga’s-charity-hamper-worth-over-e6,000

A €5 raffle ticket that could win you a hotel break, dinners out, fashion and a spa treatment, will also help seriously ill children and their families in Malaga have a happier Christmas this year.

Cotter Comunicacion has launched a three-part festive campaign in support of Fundacion Olivares, to bring businesses and neighbours into one project so that Christmas feels a little brighter for the families who need it most. The campaign includes a charity hamper raffle, a toy and gift collection and a Christmas market on December 20.

A Christmas hamper that keeps growing

Local and national companies, brands and organisations are donating products and experiences to the Great Charity Christmas Hamper, which is already worth more than €6,000 and rising daily. Tickets are on sale now, and every cent raised goes to the charity. The draw takes place on December 20 at 5.30pm.

Prizes so far include a voucher to rent a dress from Novva Drop, a blazer from Julieta Brand and two nights at the Gran Hotel Miramar. The winner can also look forward to dinners at Trocadero, El Balneario, Er Pichi de Cai and Sushita, a painting by Laura Zambrano and a handbag by Ana Vera. There is also a facial at La Pausa Spa and a family pass for the Holiday World Beach Club.

Dozens of businesses have already joined in, including Inspiring Soho, Vera Blonde, Farmacia Cerrado de Calderon, ZAMRODart, and many more.

Fortuny Hogares Unicos is also sponsoring the campaign, and its financial contribution benefits the charity. Other companies keen to get involved can contact the agency to find out how.

Where to buy your raffle tickets

Anyone in Malaga can pick up tickets at seven locations:

– Fundacion Olivares headquarters: Avenida Arroyo de los Angeles 50
– El Balneario: Calle Bolivia, 2
– Cotter Comunicacion: Paseo de Cerrado de Calderon
– Farmacia Cerrado de Calderon: Paseo de Cerrado de Calderon, 18
– Paulette: Paseo de Reding, 53
– La Danse Studio: Paseo de Cerrado de Calderon, 18, Edificio Mercurio, third floor
– Coser y Planchar: Paseo Cerrado de Calderon, 1, Multicentro

Vanessa believes the price is small but the impact is big. “For five euros, anyone can help Fundacion Olivares and have a chance of winning a hamper we are preparing with so much love,” she says. “We’d like people to feel it belongs to all of Malaga.”

Toys and gifts so no child is left out

Children and teenagers are at the heart of the second part of the campaign. Organisers are collecting new, unused toys and gifts, from children’s games to ideas that suit teenagers, such as tech products, make-up and games.

Donations can be dropped off at the charity’s headquarters or at the agency’s office. Individuals and businesses are both welcome to take part, and teenagers deserve special thought, as their tastes matter too when choosing a present.

Christmas market on December 20

Sunday, December 20 brings everything to El Balneario, one of Malaga’s best-known venues, which is lending its space free of charge. The market runs from 12pm to 7pm with free entry and live music, where the hamper draw will take place. Full details will follow closer to Christmas.

A community effort for a shared cause

Fundacion Olivares, founded by Andres Olivares has supported children with cancer in the Malaga area since 2010, and has since widened its help to children with other serious long-term illnesses and their families.

Andres says the charity is grateful to everyone taking part. “Behind every collaboration there are people who choose to give their time and resources to help others,” he explains. “Christmas is a particularly special time for children and families, and we hope many people will join in so that, together, we can go further.”

Vanessa has the final word. “You don’t need to do anything huge to help: every ticket, every gift and every collaboration counts. If we all give a little, together we can do something far bigger.”

To see more of the incredible work the charity do you can visit their website here.

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Insurance Without The Lost-In-Translation Moments

Published

14 hours ago

November 12, 2026

Penny

insurance-without-the-lost-in-translation-moments

Insure Spain specialises in cover for foreign residents. Credit: Drazen Zigic office.

Moving to Spain brings sunshine, slower lunches and, sooner or later, paperwork. Few documents cause expats more anxiety than insurance policies, where a misunderstood clause can turn a minor mishap into a costly headache.

That is the gap Insure Spain sets out to fill. The company specialises in cover for foreign residents, whether they have settled permanently or are spending part of the year here, and its pitch is refreshingly simple: speak to people in their own language.

Its advisers know the challenges first-hand because, like their clients, they once chose to make a new life in Spain. That shared experience matters when you are trying to understand what your home policy really covers, or why a theft claim may not be as straightforward as it seems.

The range is broad. Alongside the essentials of car, house and health insurance, Insure Spain arranges business, liability, boat, golf and agricultural policies, plus life and funeral cover, an area many newcomers overlook until it is urgently needed.

Convenience is a recurring theme. Clients can deal with the team in person, by phone or online, and enquiries are answered seven days a week. Getting a quote means leaving a few details and waiting for a call back, while premiums can usually be paid monthly, quarterly, six-monthly or annually to suit household budgets. New customers are also given special rates when taking out a policy.

For anyone who has ever nodded politely through a Spanish-language insurance call, that reassurance is worth a great deal.

Contact Luke Carter at Insure Spain on +34 602 73 31 27, email info@insurespain.com or visit insurespain.com.